Question

An astronaut with a mass of `110 kg` is floating in space. If the astronaut throws an object with a mass of `4 kg` at a speed of `7/9 m/s`, how much will his speed change by?

Answer 1

I found `0.03m/s` in the opposite direction with respect to the object

Explanation:

You may use Conservation of Linear Momentum `p=mv` along the `x` direction where you get:

`p_("before")=p_("after")`

`(110*0)+(4*0)=(110*v)+(4*7/9)`
rearranging:

`110v=-28/9`
`v=-28/(9*110)=-0.03m/s` opposite to the object